A Bride for the Water God (Divine Dragons 1)

A pleasant ache persisted between my legs. No matter what I did or where I went in the shell palace or around the island, I felt Calder’s essence within me. And the more time we spent together, the more I noticed the odd tugging in my chest.

It was like there was a string tied to my heart and the other end was connected to the dragon god. If we were apart on the island, I somehow always knew where to find him if the urge to do so settled on me. I needed and wanted to be with him all the time. When we weren’t together, my chest panged with an empty sorrow.

Calder was the missing piece of something inside of me. As days passed, that feeling grew. We fell into a new sense of normal while becoming accustomed to the other’s presence. The Water God and I moved in sync, like the tide and the moon dancing side by side.

Every night we spent together, laughing or fucking—sometimes both. He became a friend, my closest confidant, and the only lover I’d ever need again. It was a genuine marriage, and one I gladly embraced.

But we’d yet to face the full moon together.

The day came where I’d spend my first night alone since the start of our union. I’d gotten so quickly addicted to sleeping in his arms, listening to the rumbling purr in his chest that I wasn’t sure how I’d sleep alone again. Maybe I’d stay awake through the night waiting for him to return and sleep in his arms all day long.

Calder was bound to the full moon. No matter what came, the Water God would transform into his greater dragon form and traverse the seas through the long night. His power called for it, and he couldn’t avoid the obligations to the source of his divinity.

Thoughts of being alone took me back to my family. After days on the island with Calder, I was admittedly happy, but I couldn’t stop the intrusive thoughts of their wellbeing. Intrinsically, I knew that they were alright—though I didn’t know how I knew. That didn’t stop the longing to see them again.

My Mother struggled when my name was drawn as the sacrifice. Father had remained stoic and resolved, but shedding his tears in silence. My little sister, Willa, wailing and clutching at our mother’s skirts, would haunt me for the rest of my days. If I couldn’t see them again, I’d grow sick from the phantom memory of our last moments together.

Calder sensed the change in me over dinner. We dined in the palace that afternoon. Under chandeliers of crystal and pearl, beneath pearlescent marble walls, we sat side by side at an ostentatiously long table meant to seat dozens of guests.

The last time we’d eaten in there, the night ended with cream smeared over my body and Calder licked off every drop. He’d poured bubbling wine in his mouth and spit it onto my skin before tongue-fucking me until my eyes crossed.

My mood was too sour to entertain the thought.

“What’s wrong?” Calder breached my mood as if he could see the storm cloud swirling over my head.

“I miss my family.” My shoulders dropped with a sigh. I relented my concerns easily. There wasn’t a valid reason to hide them.

“They’re alright,” he replied. He pushed his plate away, cocking his head as he observed me.

“I know they’re alright. That doesn’t mean I don’t miss them,” I huffed. “I want to see them.”

His lips tugged down, and his brows pinched together. “I can’t do that right now, rabbit.”

“Why not?” I leaned forward, growing urgent. “They’re right across the sea. I know they are. That’s nothing for you.”

“Marilla—”

“I could spend a night with them while you’re out at sea,” I suggested.

“Not tonight,” he answered with a solemn shake of his head.

The bubble of hope in my chest popped. My features visibly fell, and my bottom lip wobbled.

“Why not?” I croaked, fighting back tears.

Calder’s stormy blue eyes softened as he read my upset. He grabbed my hand off the table, rubbing a thumb over my knuckles. “It’s too late notice. We’re too close to the moon for me to risk being so near to you.”

My brows snapped into my forehead. “What do you mean?”

“I will transform whether I want to or not. Our connection is so new and raw that I’m not sure if I’ll be able to control myself near you.” His eyes stayed on our joined hands. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You wouldn’t hurt me,” I insisted, scooting to the edge of my seat.

“When I transform, I’ll be too big to take that risk. If I tried to take you to your village right now, I’d end up transforming on your shores, and you’d be close enough for me to smell. Then I’d have to have a taste.” His upper lip curled, showing off his fangs. “I am a primal, eldritch beast in that form. Controlled by the moon and instincts. I wouldn’t be able to resist my mate. Not yet.”

“Mate?” I plucked my hand back, gaping at him like a fish out of water.

I’d dreamt of that word. He’d called that out in my dreams, whispering it in my sleep. That word felt like a key slipping into a lock and opening a door. It felt right as it settled into place in my chest. But it confused me too.

Calder cringed, then nodded. “I’ve been meaning to tell you. I wanted to be sure you were happy here with me before bringing it up.” He smoothed his palm over my shoulder. “You are my mate, Marilla—my soulmate.”

“Soulmate?” I repeated, dazed.

“It’s why you were destined to cross the sea to reach me. We were fated for one another.” Calder swallowed, the start of a smile tugging at his lips. “I knew it was possible for other creatures, but never thought I’d have the honor. After millennia wandering and working alone, I cannot risk you now that I finally have you, little rabbit.”

Destined. Fated.

My heart leapt into the back of my throat, preventing me from taking another breath. Electric tingles rushed over my arms as that reality settled into my mind. It was euphoric and freeing to know the truth of my soul.

Destined to marry the Water God. Fated to love Calder.

It was joyous—something to celebrate. But it didn’t overshadow the need to see my family.

“You can’t take me to see them because you’d… what? You’d come for me?”

“Precisely, rabbit. I’d be way too close. You aren’t immortal yet, so I can’t risk it,” he blurted.

“Immortal?” My head was beginning to spin more than when he fucked me senseless.

His expression scrunched up. It made him look silly with his twitching fin-ears, gleaming horns, and blue scale-skin. His wings flapped behind his chair, and the end of his tail coiled like an anxious cat.

“You will become immortal over time. The more my essence fills you, the more you’ll absorb my divinity. It’s only possible with you, since you’re fated to be with me. We’ll have all of eternity together,” he confided, weary yet hopeful.

It was a lot of information to take in. No wonder he’d been hesitant to tell me everything. Soulmates. Immortal.

Life changing and soul altering facts of life—my new life.

“Even more reason to see my family while I still can,” I argued.

“Not this time, Marilla.” Calder rose from his seat, chest caving on an exhale. “We can try next month when my instincts have had time to cool down and settle. That way I can take you to your family in the morning, or night before, and leave you with them before crossing into the next sea over.”

I surged from my seat a second later. On the verge of stomping my bare foot on the tile, I flexed every muscle in my body to hold still. But my nostrils flared as I glared at him.

“You’re going to take me to see them,” I demanded.

His brow arched at the insubordinate reaction. The beast in him unfurled, rising to meet my defiance. His wings flapped out, casting long shadows over me, and his tail whipped.

Seeing Calder like that the day we first met might have made me piss myself. But I knew him now. I knew that he liked to laugh and sing. I knew that he enjoyed music and reading books and taking naps on the beach under the midday sun.

He wasn’t the monster he wanted me to think he was. And I wasn’t afraid of his larger dragon form, either.

“I’m not taking you anywhere tonight.” Smoke streamed from his nostrils and his pupils narrowed into dagger thin lines. “You’re going to be a good girl and wait here for me to return.”

“I’m going to do whatever I want to do!” I snipped back, crossing my arms obstinately.

Calder snarled, losing control of his dragon instincts. His lip curled back, showing off his dangerously sharp teeth. I tipped my head up, staring at him down my nose even though he was much, much taller.

Much like trying to make yourself appear bigger when you come face to face with a predator. I was seconds away from spreading out my arms and yelling at him.

“If you step one foot off this island tonight, there will be consequences, rabbit.” He held up one thick, blue finger in my face. The promise of punishment evoked a treacherous thrill inside me.

That shouldn’t have excited me.

My instinct was to bite his hand, but with his scales and claw he likely wouldn’t feel it.

“Well, it’s not like I can breathe underwater when we aren’t together,” I grumbled.

“You’re right.” Calder relaxed a fraction. “Even if you tried to leave, the rusalka would likely find you again. Them or some other sea monster.”

His words were meant to scare me. It almost worked.

“Have fun being big and blue tonight, fishie,” I seethed. Without another word, I turned on my heel and stomped away.

“Remember, rabbit, there would be consequences,” the dragon god called after me.

I scoffed and rolled my eyes; thankful he couldn’t see the bratty response.

Tell me what not to do and I was always sure to do the opposite.

Consequences be damned, I was going to do whatever I wanted to do. With the knowledge that my family was alive and I knew Calder had a personal stash of boats on the other side of the island, I would take matters into my own hands.